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2014/12.2, December 17 — Vanishing-Edge Errors, Pond Grooming, Hot Pool Lights and more
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2014/12.2, December 17 — Vanishing-Edge Errors, Pond Grooming, Hot Pool Lights and more

THE ESSENTIAL E-NEWSLETTER FOR WATERSHAPE DESIGNERS, ENGINEERS AND BUILDERS
December 17, 2014 www.watershapes.com

LESSONS LEARNED

Edgy Issues

Beyond doubt, vanishing-edge pools can be spectacular. But as Scott Cohen reports, there are some all-too-common design defects that can lead to a variety of distracting performance issues — and some of these problems aren’t so easy to address! [more]

RIBBIT


Envisioned Environment

It’s always his goal to make his frog ponds look as though they’ve been there forever, says Eric Triplett. But as he discusses in this video, it can be tough to hold onto that clear vision through some of the messier, muddier parts of the installation process. [more]

FEATURE ARTICLE

Burning Sensations

They’re so common that they’re easy to ignore. As Paolo Benedetti points out, however, the incandescent lights so often found in pools and spas can pose a special hazard to certain swimmers — a problem he recommends overcoming by switching to ‘cooler’ technology. [more]


ESSENTIAL

Affairs of the Art

Completing projects of singular beauty for high-end clients is a passion for Arizona watershaper Steve Oliver, and those clients return the favor by granting him a tremendous level of creative freedom. That’s surely the situation with the watershape seen here, where Oliver has sifted through a range of rich and contrasting elements to create a composition that’s as much a work of art as it is a pleasant place to go swimming.

This article, originally published in October 2003, has been digitized for all readers. Click here to see the full text and enlarge the images to study the craftsmanship in detail.


TRAVELOGUE

Tale of the Tortoise

While visiting Rome many years ago, Jim McCloskey saw a fountain that seemed familiar — and before long he remembered seeing the same oddly placed tortoises in a park in San Francisco. Either fountain merits a visit — even without the special déjà vu moment. [more]

WATERSHAPES WORLD

A Rippling Departure

They say all good things must come to an end. But given the instrumental role Ripples has played in the WaterShapes newsletter from the start, writes Jim McCloskey, seeing it’s last installment in this newsletter is making him unusually nostalgic. [more]

Ripples Says Farewell!
An Encore Presentation of the
Top Ten Ripples Items of All Time


WATERSHAPES CLASSIC

Designing a New Paradigm (Part 2)
Back in 1999, a meeting in Ohio brought together professionals with varied perspectives on how backyard environments come together. Here’s a look at another part of their roundtable discussion. [more]

THE SHOPPING CART

Bobé Water & Fire Features Offers Fire Bowls

Bobé Water & Fire Features (Phoenix, AZ) has introduced the Builder Series of decorative bowls. Combining water and fire into a single design, the cost-effective units come in copper or stainless steel and in various sizes for design flexibility and are available with keyed gas valves, push-button spark ignitions or 24-volt automatic ignitions. For details, click here.

Acrylic Pool Windows from Hammerhead International

Hammerhead International (Las Vegas, NV) offers acrylic viewing panels in many shapes and sizes for use in swimming pools. The units can be made to match anything from the most complicated negative edge wall radius to the simplest pool window. They’re also translucent enough to provide unique ambient lighting in adjacent indoor spaces. For details, click here.

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THE AQUATIC QUIZ

Groundbreaking First: Black Woman
Wins World Swimming Title in Doha

Many water-related stories have been in the news of late — including reports connected to the three questions below.

1. Alia Atkinson, who competed in the recent international short-course championships in Doha, Qatar, became the first black woman to garner a world swimming title (a gold medal in the women’s 100 meter breaststroke). What country, according to theroot.com, did she represent in Doha?

a. Jamaica b. Haiti c. Dominica d. Dominican Republic

2. Officers in a police helicopter in one South American country were shocked when they spotted a large swastika at the bottom of a homeowner’s pool. In which country did inquisitor.com say this took place?

a. Uruguay b. Paraguay c. Argentina d. Brazil.

3. A 7-year-old boy in Queensland, Australia, on a swimming outing with his schoolmates, was dismayed when he came out of the dressing room at a municipal pool and realized the teachers and his fellow students had left him behind. What, according to theage.com.au, happened next?

a. Police officers in a passing patrol car spotted the lad — who was crying — walking along a
road. They picked him up and brought him to the local police station.
b. A passing motorist spotted the lad — who was crying — walking along a road. She picked
him up, brought him to her house and notified the school and his parents.
c. The boy spent the night in a nearby park, while his parents and others frantically searched
for him.
d. The boy called 000, the Australian equivalent of 911, and his parents came and picked him
up.

To find out how many you got right, click here.

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